In certain industries, it is desirable to observe and analyze the contents within an enclosed pipeline or vessel without substantially disrupting the flow or process therein. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,366, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a flow cell device system that includes an optical flow cell that enables automatic visual analysis and inspection of fluids for various characteristics including particle size, shape, color, and count, among others. The system includes two viewing ports, each containing a transparent glass window to allow illumination and/or viewing of a fluid in an aperture defined between the two viewing ports.
Advances in such flow cells have been made over time. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,782,184 and 8,297,302, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, describe spray ring devices that provide for cleaning of an internal process window. These spray rings are configured to discharge a fluid onto the window surface in order to dislodge any particles or substances on the window that are hindering observation of the flow through the flow cell.
While the above-described structures are excellent for their intended functions, none of these devices are specifically designed to operate in extremely harsh environments. Thus, while these devices are adequate for many environments, they lack features that would allow them to operate in the harshest of environments.